ערובין-ב

A rabbi was once asked by a גוי if he could explain what the גמרא is all about.  “Sure,” the rabbi said, “But first, I want to ask you a simple question:  If two men climb inside a chimney and one comes out dirty and the other comes out clean, which one washes himself?”  “The dirty one,” answered the גוי.  “No,” the rabbi replied. “The two men look at each other.  The dirty one thinks he is clean, while it’s the clean man who thinks he is dirty and washes himself.”  The rabbi continued: “Let’s try it again: If two men climb inside a chimney and one comes out dirty and the other comes out clean, which one washes himself?”  “The clean one,” answered the גוי.  “No,” the rabbi replied.  “They each look at themselves.  The clean man sees that he is clean and it is the dirty man who washes himself.”  “Now, one final question,” said the rabbi. “If two men climb inside a chimney and one comes out dirty and the other comes out clean, which one washes himself?”  The גוי frowned.  “I don’t know rabbi.  It could be either one.”  “No,” said the rabbi.  “If two men climb inside a chimney, how could one come out clean and the other dirty?  They obviously are both dirty and both wash themselves.”  The גוי was thoroughly confused.  “Rabbi, you asked me the same question three times and yet, you gave me three different answers. Is this some kind of joke?”  “No,” answered the rabbi. “This is גמרא.” 

05/07/2020